What do systematic reviews say?

Pulpotomy (full or partial) vs None (single-arm pooled success proportion)

In symptomatic irreversible pulpitis, pooled pulpotomy success was 84% (95% CI 72-92%); not significantly different from asymptomatic (z=-1.34, p=0.18); ungraded.

• Outcome of pulpotomy in permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2022 All outcomes

  >=6 months · Clinical (endodontic/dental) · Symptomatic irreversible pulpitis
  Proportion 0.84 [0.72, 0.92]
  9 studies
  GRADE not reported

Glycerrhetinic acid/antibiotic mixture vs Calcium hydroxide (CH)

• Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 months
  Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
  1 study · 275 participants
  GRADE not reported

Ledermix (corticosteroid/antibiotic pulp-capping cement) vs Calcium hydroxide (CH)

• Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 months
  Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
  1 study · 275 participants
  GRADE not reported

Ledermix (corticosteroid/antibiotic pulp-capping cement) vs Glycerrhetinic acid/antibiotic mixture

• Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 months
  Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
  1 study · 275 participants
  GRADE not reported

Potassium nitrate/dimethyl isosorbide/polycarboxylate cement (KNO3/DMI/PCa) vs Potassium nitrate/polycarboxylate cement (KNO3/PCa)

• Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 months
  Hodosh 2003 (Analysis 3.1): all 18 patients receiving KNO3/DMI/PCa responded favourably (0/18 developed clinical symptoms) versus 9/17 in the KNO3/PCa group; symptomatic teeth required endodontic therapy or extraction.…
  1 study · 35 participants
  GRADE not reported

Calcium hydroxide (CH) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

• Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 months
  Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
  1 study · 275 participants
  GRADE not reported

Potassium nitrate/dimethyl isosorbide/polycarboxylate cement (KNO3/DMI/PCa) vs Polycarboxylate cement (PCa) alone

• Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 months
  Hodosh 2003 (Analysis 3.1): all 18 patients receiving KNO3/DMI/PCa responded favourably (0/18 developed clinical symptoms) versus 10/12 in the PCa group. "The results in groups two and three were statistically…
  1 study · 30 participants
  GRADE not reported

Glycerrhetinic acid/antibiotic mixture vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

• Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 months
  Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
  1 study · 275 participants
  GRADE not reported

Potassium nitrate/polycarboxylate cement (KNO3/PCa) vs Polycarboxylate cement (PCa) alone

• Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 months
  Hodosh 2003 (Analysis 3.1): 9/17 in the KNO3/PCa group and 10/12 in the PCa group developed clinical symptoms requiring endodontic therapy or extraction. No significance test reported for this specific contrast; no…
  1 study · 29 participants
  GRADE not reported

Ledermix (corticosteroid/antibiotic pulp-capping cement) vs Zinc oxide and eugenol (ZOE)

• Pulp management for caries in adults: maintaining pulp vitality 2007 · Cochrane All outcomes

  24 months
  Shovelton 1971 (Analysis 1.1): 275 teeth followed for 2 years (235 at 6 months, 160 at 12 months, 85 analysed at 24 months). Success rates 50% to 80%. Ledermix and calcium hydroxide had the highest success rates,…
  1 study · 275 participants
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Partial pulpotomy for carious pulp exposure in adult mature permanent teeth: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomes

  Full meta-regression: preoperative diagnosis
  Meta-regression No significant association
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Partial pulpotomy for carious pulp exposure in adult mature permanent teeth: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2025 All outcomes

  Full meta-regression: follow-up duration
  Meta-regression No significant association
  Studies not reported
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Efficacy of pulpotomy for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of… 2024 All outcomes

  Mature teeth, irreversible pulpitis
  Proportion 0.798 [0.712, 0.873]
  10 studies
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Efficacy of pulpotomy for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of… 2024 All outcomes

  Immature teeth, unspecified/mixed diagnosis
  Proportion 0.888 [0.816, 0.945]
  6 studies
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Efficacy of pulpotomy for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of… 2024 All outcomes

  Partial pulpotomy, normal pulp/reversible pulpitis
  Proportion 0.920 [0.879, 0.954]
  4 studies
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Efficacy of pulpotomy for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of… 2024 All outcomes

  Partial pulpotomy, immature teeth
  Proportion 0.924 [0.851, 0.976]
  3 studies
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Efficacy of pulpotomy for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of… 2024 All outcomes

  Immature teeth, irreversible pulpitis
  Proportion 0.790 [0.667, 0.892]
  2 studies
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Efficacy of pulpotomy for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of… 2024 All outcomes

  Partial pulpotomy, mature teeth
  Proportion 0.842 [0.745, 0.921]
  6 studies
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Efficacy of pulpotomy for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of… 2024 All outcomes

  Full pulpotomy, immature teeth
  Proportion 0.844 [0.748, 0.921]
  7 studies
  GRADE not reported

Intervention not reported

• Efficacy of pulpotomy for permanent teeth with carious pulp exposure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of… 2024 All outcomes

  Full pulpotomy, mature teeth
  Proportion 0.846 [0.739, 0.930]
  9 studies
  GRADE not reported